Our studies of various virologic and immunopathologic processes that occur when viruses and parasites replicate in the ocular microenvironment comprise five areas: (1) virus induced retinal degenerative processes; (2) the possible roles of viruses in human diseases; (3) molecular diagnosis and pathogenesis of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections in man; (4) herpesvirus infections of the eye and (5) Toxoplasma gondii infections of the retina. We have established a model system for studying retinal degenerative diseases, experimental coronavirus retinopathy (ECOR). The virus is capable of inducing an acute infection in the presence of mild retinal vascular inflammation. Initial retinal damage is followed by clearance of infectious virus and progressive retinal degeneration. This is the first retinal model to demonstrate a virus induced degeneration, viral persistence, a genetic predisposition to virus induced tissue damage and a virus triggered autoimmune response. Our goal is to determine the pathophysiological mechanisms and to identify genes involved in the retinal degenerative disease. During the past year we have made the following key findings. Since TNF-a plays a crucial role in immune-mediated processes we evaluated the levels of TNF-a/TNF-a receptors and the downstream signaling molecule nitric oxide (NO) during the course of disease in both retinal degeneration susceptible BALB/c and degeneration resistant CD-1 mice. Following intravitreal injection with the coronavirus, mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), TNF-a mRNA was detected at higher levels within the retinas, and concentrations of TNF-a and sTNFR1 proteins were significantly increased, p<0.005 and p< 0.0005 respectively, within the serum of BALB/c but not CD-1 mice. While concentrations of sTNFR2 proteins were elevated in both BALB/c (p< 0.00005) and CD-1 (p< 0.005) mice compared to controls, concentrations were significantly higher in BALB/c mice (p< 0.0005). Gene expression of iNOS while initially high in BALB/c mice decreased during the acute phase of infection, while it increased in CD-1 mice. These trends are attributable to differences in monocyte TNFR2 release (p < 0.0005) between the strains since sTNFR2 significantly decreased (p < 0.01) levels of NO production. These studies demonstrate that retinal degeneration following viral infection is associated with increased release of TNF-a and TNF receptors combined with a down-regulation of NO. Furthermore they suggest that these molecules are involved in alterations in immune response leading to the autoimmune reactivity seen in retinal degeneration susceptible mice. Based on the animal model system, we have also initiated studies to evaluate human retinal degenerative diseases. Autoantibodies were detected in patients with retinopathy of unknown origin by immunocytochemical staining and western blot analysis. We have identified three patients with cone-rod degeneration with high titers of antibody directed against the ganglion cells and inner nuclear layer. Anti-retinal reactivity at these levels were not detected in sera from patients with known genetic retinal degenerations, uveitis or from normal individuals. Two antigens, LEDGF and ATR-X, were identified from a retina cDNA library with sera from a cone-rod degeneration patient. The sera of all three cone-rod degeneration patients demonstrated reactivity to LEDGF. Identification of the specific anti-retinal antibodies that contribute to altered retinal cell function and viability may provide new insights into mechanisms of retinal cell dysfunction.